Windows Phone 7.1

Qualcomm has announced that, just as with the first generation of WP7 handsets, its chips will be exclusively found inside the incoming range of Windows Phone 7.1 Mango devices. According to a statement Qualcomm gave SlashGear, "In close coordination with Microsoft, Qualcomm are excited to bring a new generation of Windows Phone handsets exclusively featuring Qualcomm’s second generation Snapdragon mobile processors to market."

Welcome to SlashGear 101, a place where you're going to be able to learn everything you wanted to know about every little subject that matters most in the tech world. Today's subject is the brand-spanking-new Windows Phone version 7.1 Mango, a system that will be available for free to all eligible Windows Phone customers by the fall of 2011. This newest system improves the Windows Phone experience by Extending the App Experience, making "A Smarter Smartphone" with predictive features and multitasking, and adding Internet features that include Music Search, Visual Search (with photo recognizing abilities,) and Local Scout which shows you businesses and etc around the area you're physically located. Sounds great! Let's have a look!

Windows Phone 7.1 Mango is official along with new OEM partners Acer, Fujitsu and ZTE, all of whom have committed to releasing at least one WP7.1 device by the end of the year. One curious omission from Microsoft's partner slide, however, is Dell; the company launched one Windows Phone 7 device, the Dell Venue Pro, back at the platform's initial launch, but is conspicuous by its absence at the Mango preview today.

Microsoft has announced that it will be launching a web-version of the Windows Phone Marketplace, allowing users with WP smartphones to browse the catalog together with buy apps and send them directly to their handsets. The new service is due to go online in time with Windows Phone 7.1 Mango's arrival this fall.

Microsoft has detailed the new multitasking system for Windows Phone 7.1 "Mango", and it seems the company has been looking long and hard at both iOS and webOS for its inspiration. Like iOS, Mango will make use of frozen app states to conserve memory and prevent a background app from running away with all the CPU cycles; like webOS, however, it will have a system of card-like app previews which can be paged through to jump between software.